Abstract:
An improved pressure transducer is disclosed. The transducer includes a connector, an enclosure, a sensor portion, and an external heater disposed to heat the sensor portion. In some aspects, the sensor portion includes a sensor constructed from a brittle material and does not employ any fill fluid within the sensor. In another aspect, the invention includes a kit that adapts non-heated high purity vacuum transducers for heated use. The kit includes a connector portion and a heater portion that is coupled to the connector portion. The connector portion may also include one or more indicators.
Abstract:
A corrosion rate measurement system includes a first membrane of a first material configured to be exposed to a corrosive material and deflect in response to corrosion. A second membrane is configured to be exposed to a corrosive material and deflect in response to corrosion. A pressure sensor is operably coupled to at least one of the first and second membranes and configured to measure deflection of at least one of the first and second membranes as a function of a pressure and an amount of corrosion at least one of the first and second membranes.
Abstract:
A micromachined miniature valve (10) used for gas chromatography has very low valve and interconnection dimensions to reduce the fluid volume inherent in other gas switching valves to thereby provide accurate measurements involving small gas flows. In order to reduce actuating diaphragm size, without encountering excessive stress concentrations in the diaphragm, the diaphragm (18) can be polyimide film actuated in connection with a silicon valve body (15, 22) having valve seats (40D-45D) with ports that are opened or closed by deflection of the diaphragm (18). Silicon wafers can be micromachined using batch fabrication techniques to provide the necessary valve seats (40D-45D) and passageways (30-35) for operating. The valve assembly (10) is produced as a layered sandwich made up of individual wafers, including an actuator layer (25), a stop layer (22), a valve seat layer (15), and a layer (11) which has flow channels receiving gas from the valve seat layer (15) and making the necessary interconnections to provided outlets. The diaphragm film (18) is positioned between the valve seat layer (15) and the stop layer (22), and is deflected or displaced to control passage of gases through the valve openings. The diaphragm layer (18) is sealed to the silicon valve body (15, 22) by a process which involves fusing, such as glass frit or solder sealing.
Abstract:
A capacitive pressure sensor is formed with sensor body and diaphragm components made of near net shapeable sintered ceramic. In one configuration, the differential pressure sensor has two sintered ceramic cell halves with an internal sintered ceramic diaphragm captured between the two cell halves. In another configuration, two side-by-side sintered ceramic cell halves have individual sintered ceramic diaphragms, and the chambers of the two cell halves are connected by metal tubing.
Abstract:
A process fluid pressure measurement probe includes a pressure sensor formed of a single-crystal material and mounted to a first metallic process fluid barrier and disposed for direct contact with a process fluid. The pressure sensor has an electrical characteristic that varies with process fluid pressure. A feedthrough is formed of a single-crystal material and has a plurality of conductors extending from a first end to a second end. The feedthrough is mounted to a second metallic process fluid barrier and is spaced from, but electrically coupled to, the pressure sensor. The pressure sensor and the feedthrough are mounted such that the secondary metallic process fluid barrier is isolated from process fluid by the first metallic process fluid barrier.
Abstract:
A sensor capsule (20, 98, 120, 220) suitable for use in an industrial process fluid transmitter. The sensor capsule (20, 98, 120, 220) includes a block (24, 224) that has a sensor mounting hole (30, 130, 230). The block (24, 224) includes two half-blocks (26, 28; 146, 148; 226, 228) joined along mating surfaces (22, 23; 222, 223) passing lengthwise through the sensor mounting hole. A (50, 128, 250) sensor has as sensor neck (52, 252) passing through the sensor mounting hole (30, 130, 230). The sensor neck (52, 252) is sealed to the sensor mounting hole (30, 130, 230).
Abstract:
A capacitive pressure sensor is formed with sensor body and diaphragm components made of near net shapeable sintered ceramic. In one configuration, the differential pressure sensor has two sintered ceramic cell halves with an internal sintered ceramic diaphragm captured between the two cell halves. In another configuration, two side-by-side sintered ceramic cell halves have individual sintered ceramic diaphragms, and the chambers of the two cell halves are connected by metal tubing.
Abstract:
A thermal effect sensing device (10) comprises a semiconductor substrate (15) supporting an insulating layer (14) which has a thin film of platinum (12, 13, 16, 21) deposited on it. Holes (17, 20) are etched through the semiconductor substrate and the insulating layer. The platinum film is shaped to provide a serpentine resistive element (16) suspended over one of the holes (17). The serpentine element is suspended from the rim of the hole, but is otherwise unsupported. The resistive element has a low thermal mass and there is a low thermal resistance between the element and fluid in the sensor. The sensor senses thermal properties of the fluid in the sensor, such as mass flow or thermal conductivity. A second conductive film is insulatingly deposited on the first film to provide a resistive sensor (23) electrically isolated from a resistive heating element (16').
Abstract:
L'invention se rapporte à un capteur de pH (10), qui comprend un ensemble électrode (20) comportant une électrode (34) avec un noyau (38) en matériau isolant ou semiconducteur électrochimiquement inerte, et qui est recouvert d'un enrobage électroconducteur et sensible électrochimiquement (40). Le noyau préféré (38) est isolant et produit à partir d'alumine, avec une mince couche d'enrobage (40) d'oxyde d'iridium déposé sur une partie au moins de la surface externe du noyau (38). La couche d'enrobage (40) est portée jusqu'à une région (70) éloignée de la surface de détection (46) et est utilisée pour produire des connexions électroconductrices (52, 54) qui conduisent au circuit éloigné (32). Le noyau (38) est conçu sous une forme qui peut être soutenue et maintenue dans un matériau isolant déformable et électrochimiquement inerte (36) qui est scellé autour de la surface externe de la couche d'enrobage (40) sur le noyau (38) pour empêcher toute fuite des substances chimiques devant être analysées. Un boîtier extérieur (14) est également prévu pour permettre de sceller facilement le capteur dans les trous d'accès sur lesquels est monté le boîtier (14) du capteur.